Fruit-picker.



I. ARNOLD.

FRUIT PIGKBR'. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 3, 1912.

Patented July 30, 1912.

coumnu ILANOGIIAIIH c0.. WASHINGTON, I). C.

ISAAC ARNOLD, OFOTTAWA, KANSAS.

FRUIT-PICKER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 3, 1912. Serial No. 669,234.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ISAAC ARNOLD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Ottawa, in the county of Franklin and State of Kansas, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Fruit-Pickers, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The invention relates to fruit pickers, and has for its primary objectto provide a device of this character in which fruit of varying sizesmay be removed from a tree and conveyed into the hand or into areceptacle near the operator, thus obviating the necessity of a personclimbing a tree and plucking fruit, as is done in the ordinary manner.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a fruit picker inwhich fruit hanging upon a tree, irrespective of the height thereof, maybe plucked, without causing the operator to reach for the fruit, andthat will deliver the fruit to a convenient point, so that the same maybe readily and quickly gathered and transported from one location toanother.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a fruit picker ofthis character which is simple in construction, reliable and eflicientin its purpose, and inexpensive in manufacture.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will behereinafter more fully described, illus trated in the accompanyingdrawings, and pointed out in the claim hereunto appended.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of the fruit pickerconstructed in accordance with the invention, the mouth thereof beingshown opened. Fig. 2 is a .rtical longitudinal sectional view through nocatcher sleeve, showing the grab mouth thereof closed. Fig. 3 is a topplan view.

Similar reference characters indicate coriresponding parts throughoutthe several 45 views of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, the fruit picker comprises a poleor handle 5 which is of any desirable length, so as to enable the fruitpicker to be positioned for 50 plucking the fruit hanging from a tree,irrespective of the height of the tree, and

mounted in one end of the pole or handle is the twisted stem 6 of a fork7 the ends of which are inturned to form pivots 8, on which arejournaled crossed circular-shaped opening and closing jaws 9, each beingformed at diametric points thereof with eyes 10 loosely engaging thepivots 8 of the fork or yoke 7, and coiled about one of said pivots 8 isa compression spring 11, the ends of which are suitably engaged with thesaid jaws 9, so as to normally hold the same in position for opening themonth end of a receiver, presently described.

The receiver comprises a flexible sleeve 12, preferably constructed fromfabric, such as cheese-cloth, one end thereof being fastened, forinstance, by stitches, to the jaws 9 on substantially one-half of theircircumfen ence, so that the remaining circumference of the jaws will lieinteriorly of the sleeve 12 and have connected thereto pull tapes 13,the same being connected to the sleeve 12, interiorly thereof, atopposite points of the same, the tapes being so connected that thesleeve, between the points of connect-ion of the tapes therewith and theopen mouth thereof, is normally slack, so that on an initial pull uponthe sleeve, the tapes will be drawn upon for causing the closing of thejaws 9 to grab and pluck fruit hanging from a tree. After the fruit hasbeen plucked, the same will travel downwardly in the sleeve and bedischarged through the opposite open end thereof into the hand of theoperator of the fruit picker or into a sack or other depository. Thus,in this manner the fruit can be readily gathered, without possibility ofbruising the same, and also that will avoid the necessity of a personclimbing the tree for picking the fruit therefrom.

What is claimed is:

A fruit picker comprising a standard, a yoke fixed in one end of thestandard and having its fork limbs bent at an angle thereto, inturnedends on the said limbs to form pivots, substantially circular-shapedmembers having eyes formed at diametrically opposite points thereof forreceiving the inturned pivot ends of the yoke, a tubiform flexible bodyhaving one end connected with Patented July so, 1912.

the jaws about substantially one-half of the hold the same at all timesslack between circumference of each so that the remaining the points ofconnection of the tape. 10 port-ion of the members will lie interiorlyof In testimony whereof I aflix my signature the body, means acting uponthe members to in presence of two Witnesses.

normally sustain the end of the body con- ISAAC ARNOLD. nected theretoin open position, and tapes Witnesses:

connected with the free portions of the mem- W. J. R. MENDARIS,

bers and with the body interiorly thereof to EDWIN C. DAVIS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

